Miljan Miljanić, Yugoslavia football coach: Profile, Career, News & Videos

Miljan Miljanić was a Yugoslav and Serbian football administrator, coach and player who played as a defender. He was the all-powerful President of the Football Association of Yugoslavia (FSJ) from 1981 to 2001.

Born in Bitola, Vardar Banovina, Kingdom of Yugoslavia, to a family originating from the Banjani clan in the Nikšić municipality in Montenegro, Miljanić spent the first years of his life in what would later become SR Macedonia within SFR Yugoslavia and eventually present day North Macedonia.

During his career, Miljanić coached Red Star Belgrade (won 13 trophies), Real Madrid (won back-to-back La Liga titles, including a League/Cup double in the 1974–75 season), Valencia CF (lasting three quarters of the 1982–83 season until he was dismissed with the team in 17th place in the league), and the Yugoslavia national team, of which he was a head coach in the 1974 and 1982 World Cups.

He also served as president of the Football Association of FR Yugoslavia (FSJ) from 1981 to 2001. After leaving the position in 2001, he was elected honorary president of the association.

In 2002, for his contributions to association football, Miljanić became the recipient of the FIFA Order of Merit — the highest honour awarded by FIFA.